Flax-pulling machine



June 29 1926. A 1,590,709

R. |..`TA\fLoRv FLAX PULLING MACHINEv Filed March 24. 1922 wrm,

ATro/P/vfrs.

Patented June 29, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT L. TAYLOR, F PGRTLAND, OREGON.

FLAX-PULLING MACENE.

Application led March 24, 1922.

.i hereinafter specied in detail and succinctly set forth in theappended claims.

ln the accompanying drawing:

igure l is a side elevation, partly broken away, of my invention, inpresent preferred form of embodiment.

Figure Il is a top plan view of the same, partly broken away and also,for the sake of clearness, reduced to a showing of only two rows of.flax grippers, one partly open i and one closed, instead of the numerousrows thereof with which a practically operative machine is equipped.

Figure IH shows in edge view and on en larged scale the respectivehalves of the two next adjacent disks in a row of grippers, and betweenthe disks a sector that cooperates with one of the disks to constitutetherewith a gripping element. y

Referring to the numerals on the drawing, l. indicates a metallic framethat may be made of any preferred shape and dimensions and of anypreferred method and design of construction that may contribute to itrequisite rigidity. y p

The frame is made chiefly as a carriage for the operative accommodationof a trans verse shaft 2 whose ends are rotatively mounted in suitableboxes provided for it .in said frame. The shaft 2 carries at suitableequal intervals along its length a number of disks 3 that are keyed orotherwise fixed to it, the number being proportionate to the size of themachine and the length of its said shaft. Cooperative and rotative witheach disk is a ring of independent juxtaposed gripping members 4preferably designe-d and made in the form of truncated sectorseach ofwhich is combined with its disk 3 to constitute a gripping element.

The gripping members hereinafter calledv sectors are preferably made ofstitiiy resilient steel and arealignedin rows of grip-Y pers whichoperate simultaneously to take hold upon a row of flax stalks and thento lift them, with a gentle pull, from the ground `in which they. grew."lhe number4 Serial N0. 546,312.

of rows of sectors is made suiiicient to enable them collectively and ata moderate rate of speed of movement to take up ali stalks of flax thatpresent themselves to the operation of the machine in its operativetravel over a field.

The alignment of the sectors into rows as aforesaid is preferablyaccomplished by a bar 5 for each row.l The bars 5 reciprocate,respectively, in aligned apertures 6 in the series o-f disks 3 to whichthey are snugly fitted, and are adapted to move with and to v beactuatedl by the rotation of the disks.

The bars 5 are caused successively to reciprocate through their bearingapertures 6 -a suiiicient distance to cause the sectors 4 in theirlateral motion in one direction, to separate a predetermined distancefrom their appropriate disks 3, and by their lateral vmotion 'in theopposite direction to cause the sectors to clamp each against its diskwith gripping effect. To that end I prefer to provide each sector' withan arcuate gripping plate 7 that is preferably made of yieldingmaterial,for example leather or india rubber, and which is disposed nearthe outeredge of each sector, concentrically to the shaft 2.

The means for actuating the bars 5 which I prefer, yat present, toemploy, consist simply of two cams 9 and lO in which the cam action ofone is complementary to that of the other, to the extent of holding thebars substantially'fixed against longitudinal movement except at suchintervals as those at which it is desired to impart such movement tothem. Accordingly the cams vare fixed to the frame l adjacent toopposite ends of the shaft 2, and are as cams operatively disposed inopposite directions as shown in Figure II. By reason of the snubengagement or wiping of the `ends of the bars 5 against the Vsaid cams,`respectively, the bars are caused, at predetermined inter-4 vals, toshift their positions, one after another, back andforth in alongitudinal direction, the cam 9 serving to move each bar in onedirection and the cam 10, upon release by the cam 9, serving to reversesaid movement. The timing of the intervals of the Asaid movements of the'bars 5 isA determined by the gripping function requiredfof the sectorsl, That is to say, each sector .of

each row of sectors should separate from Acombination a rotatable set ofspaced coaxial disks, a plurality of movable gripping members mountedbetween said disks and aligned in rows, common means for each row of ,fpipping` members for successively opening and closing the same withclamping effect against the disks, and means for operatively presentingsaid disks and gripping members to flax growing afield.

2, A flax pulling machine comprising in combination a rotatable set ofspaced coaxial disks, a plurality of gripping -members mounted betweensaid disks and disposed in rows comprising one member for each disk,common means for each row for successively opening and closing the samewith clamping effect of its individual members against their respectivedisks, and means for operatively presenting said disks and grippingmembers to flax growing afield, the former of said means being dependentfor operation upon the latter.

3. A flax pulling machine comprising the combination with a carriage anda supporting wheel therefor, of a. rotatable set of spaced coaxialdisks, rows of gripping mem-V bers cooperative with said disks, inoperative communication, respectively, wit-h said wheel, and meansadapted, through rotation of said wheel, operatively to present saiddisks, and rows of gripping members to flax growing afield.

il. A flax pulling machine comprising the combination with a carriage, asupporting wheel therefor, and a rotatable horizontal shaft on saidcarriage, of a set of spaced coaxial disks on said shaft, respectiverings of independent gripping members for each pair of adjacent disks,means for rigidly connecting individual members in each ring to formhorizontally aligned movable rows of gripping members that are inoperative connnunication, respectively, with said wheel, and meansadapted through the rotation of said wheel, operatively to present aiddisks and an endless succession of said rowsof gripping` members to flaxgrowing afield.

5. A ax pulling machine comprising the combination with a carriage, asupporting` wheel therefor, and a. rotatable horizontal shaft on saidcarriage, of a set of spaced coaxial disks on said shaft, respectiverings of independent gripping members for each pair of adjacent disks,means for rigidly connecting individual gripping members in each ring tolform successive horizontal rows of gripping members that are inoperative communication, respectively, with said wheel, and operativemeans for successively actuating each row of gripping members to openand close it with clamping effect upon the disks once with eachrevolution of the said wheel.

6. A. flax pulling machine comprising the combination with a carriage, asupporting wheel therefor' and a rotatable horizontal shaft on thecarriage operatively connected with said wheel, of a set of spacedcoaxial disks fixedly mounted on said shaft, an endless series oftransversely movable rows of gripping members cooperative with saiddisks to clamp and release swaths of flax, and means for successivelyeffecting operative transverse movement of said rows of gripping membersthrough rotation of said shaft.

7. A flax pulling machine comprising the combination with a carriage, asupporting wheel, and a rotative horizontal shaft on the carriageoperatively connected with said wheel, of a series of rotative disks onsaid shaft, a series of transversely movable members cooperative withsaid rotative disks, respectively, with gripping effect, and means foreffecting operative transverse movement of said movable members throughrotation f said shaft, said means consisting of reciprocatory bars fixedto the individuals of a series of said movable members and workin`hrough bearing apertures provided for them in the rotative eements, andmeans for imparting reciprocatory movement in opposite direction to saidbars through said rotation of said shaft.

8. ik flax pulling machine comprising the combination with a carriageframe, a supporting wheel therefor, a horizontal shaft rotative on saidframe, a series of disks disposed with collective cylindrical effectupon i said shaft, cooperative transversely movable members arranged inseries with respect to said disks, respectively, and means foroperatively actuating said members, of a transverse endless conveyor inoperative proximity and conformity to said cylindrical disposition ofdisks.

' 9. A flax pulling machine comprising the combination with a carriagefra-me, a su porting wheel therefor, a horizontal shat l rotative onsaid frame, a series of disks disposed with collective cylindricaleffect upon said shaft, cooperative transversely movable membersarranged in series with respect to said disks, respectively, and meansfor operatively actuating said members, of a transverse endless conveyorin operative proximity and conformity to said cylindrical disposition ofdisks, and means in operative connection with said supporting wheel foractuating said endless conveyor.

l0. A flax pulling machine, comprising a pair of gripping elements andmeans for actuating them to open and closethem with gripping effect whensubstantially in a vertical position, of means for imparting to saidelements a vertical lifting motion after each gripping` action in orderto effec-t the dax pulling function required.

11. A flax pulling machine comprising in til) conibination aifotataablesetof spaced coaxial disks, a plurali@7 oftransversely'movable grippingY members lmounted between seid disks andaligned in rows, common Aineens for successively ope-ning and closingthe same against the disks, vIneens upon the working fac-es of thegripping members for effecting a yielding gripping aoion when,

closed aguinstrthe disks, andhineans for operatively presenting saiddisks and gripping members s to flax growing alielol.

ln testimony whereof IL have set my hand. s Y Y YROBERT L. Tl YLOR.

hereunto

